India receives 'overwhelming support' to include Africa as a G20 member

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposal to include Africa as a member of the G20 grouping received "overwhelming support" from member countries, an official said.

The third G20 Sherpas' meeting begins in Hampi from Thursday.

Prime Minister Modi had written to the G20 member countries to include Africa as a member of G20 during India's ongoing Presidency. 

G20 Sherpas will start co-authoring the revised draft of the leaders’ communique from Thursday, which will be released during the leaders’ summit in September in New Delhi.

"We had sent the draft communique 10 days ago. We have received comments on the draft and the revised draft will be negotiated here," the official said.

While India has left space for a paragraph in the preamble on the contentious issue of Russia-Ukraine war, it is prioritising negotiating other issues as the G20 is a growth and development oriented forum, the official said.

From the finance track, negotiations for which will begin in Gandhinagar on 14 July, paragraphs will be added to the draft communique on global growth, macro-economic policy outlook, critical role of private sector, global value chains, FDI inflows, reforms of international financial institutions, crypto-currency framework, international taxation rules, ease of doing business.

Explaining India’s argument in support of granting Africa a membership in the G20, the official said this is an effort towards creating an inclusive world.

“Growth is happening in the emerging market while the share of the developed market is coming down. International financial architecture is such, resources are flowing from emerging markets to developed countries as interest rates are going up in those countries. Demographics are in favour of Asia and Africa; and all growth will come from these two places. If the European Union can become a member, then why can't the African Union become a member of G20, which represents 54 countries,” the official added.